Filtering and processing apparatus



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INVENTOR JOHN H ENGEL /fw W I MMIII-@1l Nov. 3,- 1959 FILTERING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS Filed Feb. e, 195e Nov. 3, 1959 J. H. ENGEL PILTERING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 INVENTOR. Fl G. '5. JOHN H. ENGEL United States Patent() y '2,911,291 i 1'I1:r'ERl1'-1G ANDV rRocE'sslNG APPARATUS John H. Engel, Escondido, Calif. Application February 6, 1956,' Serial No. 563,570 1o claims. `(ci. zs-zss) This invention relates to an apparatus, and process for removing the impurities of a lighter uid by cross owing with a favorably, chemically or natural reacting, absorbing or assimilating type heavier uid; with a means for transforming the elements or ingredients of the lighter fluid, mixing, trapping and then separating the impure or compounded heavier fluid. Y

The primary object of this' invention relates to an apparatus, and process thatmakes this possible on an reconomical, eicient and practical basis.

Another object of this invention is to make this unit automatically, or manuallyy adjusting, and controlling or construct the apparatuses to meet any, or all of the problems encountered, and accomplishing the same to a-total or tolerable degree, as the practical and reasonable demands ditcate. Y*

. Another object of this invention is to make it power driven and accelerate the flow, of either, or any part of the uids, or mixing or discharging of thesame', or if the forces are suficient and conditions tolerate; then they may be self driving or controlling as the requirements may be.

Another object of this invention is to have means and controls to aid in the catalytic process, for transforming or reducing excess hydrocarbons, or similar characteristic elements.

, Another object of this invention is, to eiliciently utilize the natural phenomena of absorbing other elements such as charcoal, or similar reacting compounds, materials or chemicals, and providing with a practical means of rinsing, or removing, or cleaning the adhering elements and reactivating the same.

- Another object of this invention is to utilize and expand by centrifugal force, or the like, the capillary action of liquids to solids, and in this manner distribute an equal amount of liquid over a larger surface area of solids, and in this manner make possible more contacts for the elements to be removed.

Another object of this invention is, to utilize centrifugal motion of multiple elements, and retarded, or opposite motion of the crossing elements, and in this manner accomplish more contacts between the desired or predetermined elements.

Another object of this invention is to provide a transforming and filtering device which is adapted for fabrication from many different materials, so that the choice of material can be according to the dictates of availability and price considerations, the exact sizes and proportions being matters easily determined to suit particular conditions and needs.

Another object of this invention is to provide transforming, and filtering device;:which is practicable and inexpensive to manufacture.

-Finally, it is an object to provide a device of the aforementioned character which is simple, safe and convenient to operate and which willgive generally eicient and durable service. Y

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' connections and power sources are not shown.

Fig. 2 are cross section views of offset line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 are cross section views of offset line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of lower peripheral area of compartment 74, multiple wire mesh cone and coated vane assembly 66.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view of horizontal vane 62 vand vertical vane 63.

Referring now to the drawings, this invention comprises of a structure having a base 11, mounting rigidly thereon a cylinder 12, which is closed on the other end by a cover 14 provided with discharge openings 15, and secured with screws 64, which forms chamber A. A secondary inside shorter cylinder 16 is mounted and secured on base 11 and forms the heating and oxidizing chamber B. The space formed by cylinder 12, cylinder 16 and rigidly secured space ring 19 acts as the impure uid channel C, which has a discharge connection 24. Also rigidly supported on the periphery of base 11 is a heat guard cylinder 20, which with cylinder 12 and rigidly secured perforated spacer 22 forms the preheating chamber D.

The rotative hollow shaft 13 is mounted on bearings 26 and 26 to base 11 and cover 14, these shaft bearings are encased by retainers 27 and 27' and secured by screws 24 and 24. The hollow shaft with aid of spacers or equivalent and fasteners accurately positions and rigidly supports the turbine 30, heating elements 33, the catalytic reacting type filter element 48, and liltering elements 58, 66, 74, and 85, as well as deflectors 54 and 90, pulley 25 and the rotative fluid carrying tube 92.

Lower part of chamber B contains an automatic adjustable temperature reactor assembly 36, and controller assembly 35 to operate inlet valve assembly 34, which admits predetermined Volumes of hot air from shielded preheat chamber D interrupted or continuously as the correct temperature is attained. Temperature'reactor and controller assembly 105 makes contact for the electric current which passes through insulated mounting screws and 100', and insulated tension springs 99 and 99 to insulated carbon brushes 98 and 98' which transfer to conductor rings 44 and 44', details of insulations not shown. Both temperature reactor and controller assemblies 35, 36, and are shown diagrammatically, the electric power sources for same are not shown. Check valve assembly 104 prevents back flow into the stack assembly 28.

The gases E enter through inlet 28 into chamber Bl These products are commercially available. One end of heating element 40 is connected through an electrical conductor wire 42 to the electrical conductor ring 44, the other end of the heating element 40 connects to the electrical conductor wire 42", which connects to the electriacl condutor ring 44'; all of the previous are enclosed, shielded, insulated and supported in insulator 41. The entire heating coil assembly 33 is located and secured rigidly by set screw 45 on shaft 13 at its proper position.

The catalytic reacting type filter element 48 consist of platinum or platinum group material coated metal wires or vanes 49, which are firmly clamped between rings 50 and50. by rivets 51. Spacer 46 locatesV catalytic assembly in` proper position, and the latter is securely clampedv down by right angle flange of ring 50 which is` held to hollow shaft 1-3 with set screw 52.

The annular partially deflected deflector 54, feeds the impurities filled liquid H to the off flow passage C, as well as acting the structure for the integral shaft mounting flange 54', which is secured to the shaft with set screw 55, for the passage of the impure fiuid elements E openings 56 are provided in the right angle part to fiangek S4 of dcfiector 54.

Filter assembly 58 consist of corrosion resistant somewhat round wires 59 clamped straight or at a tangent between rings() and 60'; which are held firmly together by rivets 61.

Stationary reversing flow defiecting vanes 62 and 62a which are secured to reversing fiow angle type vertical defiectors 63, which are held in position by screws 64, and supported by peripheral ring 65.

Filter assembly 66 consist of annular metal blanks with partially `sheared vanes 67 and 67. Vanes 67 are offset from vanes 67 at junction 68 to permit the passage of fluids. The multiple units vane 67 and 67 are held apart by spacers 69, and held together by rings 70 and 70' which are tied together by rivets 71. Vane blades 67 and 67 are coated by an impurities absorbing material such as charcoal 72 or the like, which is cemented to the surface by a moisture proof heat resisting cement; one of which is Minnesota Mining Compound #EC-194.

Compartment 74 consist of an annular, in essential areas, perforated cover 75 which is mounted with upward turned fiange 76 and secured by a set screw 77 to shaft 13. The outer circumferential downward turned fiange 78 retains the conical screens 79 and 79a which are secured by mounting screws 89. The inside wall of assembly 7'4 is formed by a total area perforated spacer 81, which is rigidlyv secured to totally perforated annular lower base 82. 'Ihe annulary base 82 has at its outer circumference an obtuse angle iiange 83 which in turn mounts rigidly screens 79 and 79a with rivets 84. Screens 79 and '79a formy a cone shaped overhangI 85. The entire screen surface. is coated with an impurity absorbing material such as activated charcoal '72 which is retained by moisture and heat proof bonding cement to the wires. Overhang S acts as a cone type filtering screen. The entire compartment 74 is filled with an impurity absorbing material 86 such as charcoal or the like reacting compounds, chemicals or materials.

Filter assemblies 5S, 66 and 74 are held tightly in proper position by screw 77 on one side, and screw 88 on the opposite side of the assemblies on shaft 13. Spacer 89 properly aligns this assembly. Screw 88 primarily secures flanged rim 90', which is a part of the annular defiector 9i) which prevents the fluid G from entering chamber B.

The liquid supply tube 92 is rotative supported by spacers 93 and 94 to hollow shaft 13 and the ultimate end is open. The opposite end connects via rotative couplings to a mechanism for automatic or manual adjustable valve control, which in turn connects to a pressure line or storage tank, neither of which are shown. Spacer 93 rigidly secured to tube 92, and contains seal 93./ which separate the uid ef the area, which is served by the outer tube 13 from the one that is served by the inner tube 92. Gpenings 94 in spacer 94 permit passage of fiuid G through perforations 95 for continuously fiushing of filter element 58. The rotative mounted hollow shaft 13 is closed on the ultimate end and has perforations 96, which supplies fluid intermittently to assemblies 66, and 74. The other lencl of hollow shaft 13 is connected to an automatic or manually operated valve mechanism for regulating,V timing, the volume.l of fluid, which is supplied through a flexible rotative coupling from a pressure line orl tanky not shown. The arrangements of continuously or intermittent supply of fluid can be changed as the designs or requirements may be.

Flow pattern:

E, or arrows with single dot indicate lighter fluids to be cleaned or separated.

F, or arrows with two dots indicate cleaned or separated lighter liuids.

G, or arrows with three dots indicate heavier somewhat clean fluid.

H, or arrows with four dots indicate fluid loaded withl impurities or elements removed from the lighter: uid.

The accumulated gases,v odors, fumes, and other substances are gathered by the accumulator stack 28 and discharged into the lower chamber B. While passing through this. space B the temperature reactor 36 will react at the predetermined temperature and engage the valve controller 35 and add fresh heated air from heat shield chamber D through valve assembly 34. Also if' necessary in this chamber the temperature reactor 1051 will engage the temperature controller and charge electricity to the heating assembly 40. i

From chamber B` a turbine fan 30 will accelerate the lighter fiu-id E and create a low pressure area at the lower section of compartment B to prevent back pressure throughthe accumulator stack 2-8 to the various furnaces, engines, pots and the like. Next the gases enterV the heating unit 40 Where the temperature is increased if necessary. The minimum temperature necessary of approximate 500 degrees will oxidize the hydro-carbone in the next in line element which isthe catalytic filter 48. With the hydro carbons minimized, the next process is to filter out the other impurities. The wire brush type elements 58 with the by capillary action or otherwise liquid coatedwires or vanes in rapid rotation make an enlarged surface area of moisture exposed tothe impure elements, and make inthis way an extremely efficient operation, in the ratio of gases processed for the volume of liquid needed'. Due to the centrifugal forces, and aided by addition of the heavier liquid, the filtering elementsV are self cleaning.- p To minimize the inclination of the gases to follow therotative movement of the filtering elements, reversing flowq defiectors 62, 62a and 63 areprovided at intervals, which add in this manner to increase the multiple contacts of" the rapid rotating filter elements to the retarded' or reverse ow impure lighter fluid.

Despite the effort of increasing the contacts betweenv the minute impure particles and the filtering media, natural phenomena have to be engaged in an efficient practical manner. Materials such as charcoal, or other equal characteristic4 materials, compounds or chemicals which have an afiinity for the removal of impurities or predeterminedelements from the gases or fluid as well as react to cleansing fiuid for the removal of same, have to or discharged to a container which is not shown. -f

11.1 Caso of higher temperature in the upper part of chamber A solid larger particles such as charcoal or the like purpose serving elements may be dispersed and held between multiple screens, similar to assembly 85. Under the same conditions units like assembly 66 may operate without the absorbing. coating and serve the same purpose as assembly 58.

With the aid of changes in fluids, timing, ow patterns, and electrical charges, various units of this apparatus can be applied to other uses, than those described, such as filtering, compounding or decompounding products of oil, gasolines or other fluid like chemicals, gases or other elements.

The operation of this invention will be clearly comprehended from a consideration of the foregoing description of the mechanical details thereof, taken in connection with the drawings and the above recited objects. It will be obvious that all said objects are amply achieved by this invention.

It is understood that minor variation from the form of the invention disclosed herein may be made without departure from the spirit and scope of the invent-ion, and that the specification and drawings are to be considered as merely illustrative rather than limiting.

I claim:

1. A filtering and processing apparatus comprising of a cylindrical casing, a base rigidly secured on the lower end and a cover mounted on the upper end thereof, means to admit a mixture at the lower end of said casing, an outlet port for segregated material toward the upper end of said casing, a hollow shaft rotatively supported at the upper and lower end of said casing, means to admit fluid to said hollow shaft, said shaft having perforations above a fan on said hollow shaft to admit uid into said casing, a lirst annular deector extending outwardly and downwardly and attached to said shaft at a point below said perforations, second deflector means including an annular section sloping downwardly and outwardly from below and within the lateral confines of said first dellector and terminating near the casing wall, perforate means rigidly connecting said second deector to said shaft, an annular channel attached to and extending inwardly from the casing wall to a point within the lateral confines of said second deector means, a drain port connected to said channel, means to rotate said shaft, said fan rigidly mounted on said hollow shaft above the lower rotative support and in the lower portion of said casing below said channel, said fan having ns positioned so as to upwardly direct the flow of uids.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hollow rotative shaft rigidly supports a plurality of cones.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the cones are coated with absorbing materials.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hollow rotative shaft supports a plurality of vanes.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the vanes are coated with absorbing materials.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the hollow shaft contains a second hollow shaft having a fluid inlet means and said second hollow shaft is connected in fluid ow relationship to the interior of the casing above said first annular deflector said second hollow shaft being provided with a divider which presents mixing of fluid in said first hollow shaft and said second hollow shaft.

7. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of brushes radial and rigidly mounted on said rotative shaft, reverse ow stationary vanes are rigidly mounted and inwardly extending on the inside of said casing.

8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein an annular enclosed compartment having walls rigidly supported on said rotative shaft in the upper portion of said casing, said compartment having means to admit or emit fluid to or from said compartment on all of said walls, a bed of contact material in said compartment, said shaft having perforations for connecting in a uid W relationship the interior of said shaft and said annular compartment.

9. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein electric heater means rigidly supported on said hollow shaft above said fan, means to supply electrical power to said heater through said shaft from an external source.

10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a catalytic filter unit is rigidly supported on said hollow shaft above said fan.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS `1,051,016 Schmult Ian. 21, 1913 1,362,302 Hansen et al. Dec. 14, 1920 1,883,456 Ashley Oct. 18, 1932 2,472,362 Barnebey June 7, 1949 2,596,384 Dunmire May 13, 1952 2,648,496 Cresswell Aug. 11, 1953 2,672,330 Swenson Mar. 16, 1954 2,677,000 Russum Apr. 27, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 101,116 Austria Sept. 25, 1925 68,269 Sweden Apr. 5, 1927 137,335 Sweden July 3, 1952 1,107,744 France June 28, 1954 

1. A FILERING AND PROCESSING APPARATUS COMPRISING OF A CYLINDRICAL CASING, A BASE RIGIDLY SECURED ON THE LOWER END AND A COVER MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END THEREOF, MEANS TO ADMIT A MIXTURE AT THE LOWER END OF SAID CASING, AN OUTLET PORT FOR SEGREGATED MATERIAL TOWARD THE UPPER END OF SAID CASING, A HOLLOW SHAFT ROTATIVELY SUPPORTED AT THE UPPER AND LOWER END OF SAID CASING, MEANS TO ADMIT FLUID TO SAID HALLOW SHAFT, SAID SHAFT HAVING PERFORATIONS A FAN ON SAID HOLLOW SHAFT TO ADMIT FLUID INTO SAID CASING, A FIRST ANNULAR DEFLECTOR EXTENDING OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY AND ATTACHED TO SAID SHAFT AT A POINT BELOW SAID PERFORATIONS, SECOND DEFLECTOR MEANS INCLUDING AN ANNULAR SECTION SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY FROM BELOW AND WITHIN THE LATERAL CONFINES OF SAID FIRST DEFLECTOR AND TERMINATING NEAR THE CASING WALL, PERFORATE MEANS RIGIDLY CONNECTING SAID SECOND DEFLECTOR TO SAID SHAFT, AN ANNULAR CHANNEL ATTACHED TO AND EXTENDING INWARDLY FROM THE CASING WALL TO A POINT WITHIN THE LATERAL CONFINES OF SAID CHANOND DEFLECTOR MEANS, A DRAIN PORT CONNECTED TO SAID CHANNEL, MEANS TO ROTATE SAID SHAFT, SAID FAN RIGIDLY MOUNTED ON SAID HOLLOW SHAFT ABOVE THE LOWER ROTATIVE SUPPORT AND IN THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID CASING BELOW SAID CHANNEL, SAID FAN HAVING FINS POSITIONED SO AS TO UPWARDLY DIRECT THE FLOW OF FLUIDS. 